SPECIAL FEATURE] Mindanawon Brings taste of Filipino Cuisine in Singapore

Named after the traditional Filipino house, Kubo aims to elevate the customer’s dining experience by infusing the bests of Philippine local cuisine.

Within one of Singapore’s bustling food destinations, the Pier at Robertson Quay, a restaurant featuring nipa huts or kubo stands out amidst the modern Singapore backdrop.

Kubo Singapore is a newly opened restaurant in The Pier at Robertson Quay. It is hard to miss the nipa Named after the traditional Filipino house, Co-owner and Chef Kurt Sumbero, who hails from South Cotabato, Mindanao shared that they wanted to elevate the customer’s dining experience by infusing the bests of Filipino cuisine.

“We want to introduce our Filipino dishes and culture here to different people through this venture,” he shared without missing to flex their wood-fired powered kitchen.

MinDA tries Kubo dining experience

Kubo Singapore is one of the discoveries during the Mindanao Business Mission to Singapore organized by Mindanao Development Authority last August. At that time, the restaurant was just few weeks old and Sheine Ebora-Sombero, wife of Chef Kurt and the one primarily handling their marketing, was mainly hoping to connect with your potential suppliers for their newly opened restaurant. The couple she shared are fond of Malagos’ cheeses, which they discovered through food expos back in the Philippines.

A month later, the MinDA officials led by Secretary Maria Belen S. Acosta finally got to try the new Singapore gem.

The meal, specially prepared by chef Kurt started with a refreshing duo of green papaya atsara and green mango kimchi. The perfect balance of sweet and sour makes you crave for something rather unhealthy. And that’s where their own version of pica-pica comes in – pork cheek chicharon

seasoned by paprika powder and plum kitchen, and the honeycomb tripe.

For palette cleanse, the team was treated to tuna ceviche, which is very reminiscent of the beloved kinilaw back home. This was swiftly followed by another comfort Pinoy food with an elegant twist – Sisig with foie gras and salted egg, which was perfectly matched with some homemade cassava chips.

The long list of appetizers continue with the family favorite Adobo. The quail adobo topped with black truffle is a bit sweeter than your usual adobo, but it still gives a burst of flavor that makes you crave for rice.

Curious about the main dish? A sinful pair of Bulalo and House-aged duck. It’s not your usual Bulalo, though. Corn custard and beef coin joins the bone marrow making it one hearty meal, but just enough to leave some room for the tender houseaged duck slices.

While waiting for dessert, we were all secretly hoping it was halo-halo. And after a few minutes of guessing came the pretty halohalo with meringue along with smoked yoghurt ice cream with the granola and apple. This sweet and sour ending is almost similar as how we started the meal – except this time it finally closed the appetite, in the best, most creative way possible.

MinDA intends to connect more food suppliers from Mindanao to entrepreneurs in Singapore, to help in promoting the islandregion’s agriculture and food products to more international markets.

Homage and innovation

The Sombrero couple never failed to emphasized how they want to pay homage to their roots and one does not have to look hard to see that. There’s a Filipino touch everywhere from the furniture, décor, to the strap in everyone’s apron. A Filipino will easily spot something from home. But, there is also a clear attempt to not be limited by traditions. Kubo is an innovative restaurant, doing its own share in ensuring sustainable processes in its entire operation.

Kubo features a fully woodfired kitchen or famously known as “pugon” in the Philippines. You walk out of the Kubo not just gastronomically satisfied but also with renewed Filipino pride. The Alkaff Bridge beams just right outside the restaurant, which was painted by Filipino Artist Pacita Abad.

Filipinos are indeed everywhere, making a mark.